Joyce Wilson's report on El Paso cites milestones

El Paso City Hall with Insights Museum building at Santa Fe and Missouri in foreground. (Rudy Gutierrez/El Paso Times)

Some of the city's major milestones over the last eight years have improved fiscal management and community and economic development, according to a report that will be presented by the city manager during a special City Council meeting Thursday.

"I think we've accomplished a great deal and have really focused on policies and procedures that make the city more effective," City Manager Joyce Wilson said. "We have a much stronger city government than we did eight years ago."

REPORTER

Cindy Ramirez

The report cites debt management, budget and revenue policies and a refined internal audit function among the key fiscal management changes. It also points to Smart Code zoning and master plans for open spaces, parks and neighborhood revitalization as community development achievements. In customer service and citizen involvement, the report cites the implementation of the 311 Call Center where residents can call for information on city services, the overhaul of the municipal code and improved services for neighborhood associations and leadership training programs for residents.

But perhaps two of the biggest accomplishments, Wilson said, happened in the last few months and will carry over to a new city leadership team in June: the planned Downtown Triple-A ballpark and numerous projects under the the multi-million dollar quality-of-life bond referendum.

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Wilson said voter approval of the hotel tax increase to fund the majority of the $50 million ballpark and the voter-approved $473 million quality-of-life bond will mark the city's biggest change and growth in the coming years.

The two are among the major economic development milestones the past eight years.

Additionally, the report cites other achievements as the Downtown 2015 Plan, the creation of the the Storm Water Utility, the Regional Investment Center and several Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones, and the El Paso Electric rate case settlement that reduced rates for business and commercial users.

"What's great is that they lay the foundation for the future, and the incoming council can work off the foundation that will continue to move the city forward," said Wilson, who was hired in 2004 and plans to retire in 2014.

Wilson and the majority of the current council has come under fire for supporting the ballpark, most notably the decision to locate it where the City Hall building now stands.

Critics have argued that the ballpark, as well as the bond projects, were rushed and poorly planned, will cost taxpayers money and will put the city further into debt.

The majority of the council members, however, stand behind the decision and argue that the ballpark and the bond projects will stimulate economic development and move the city forward.

The City of El Paso 8-Year Milestones Report will also identify priorities for the city and council through June, when several new faces could take office as the mayoral and four city representative seats are up for grabs in the May 11 election.

The open positions are in Districts 2, 3, 4 and 7, offices now held by Susie Byrd, Emma Acosta, Carl Robinson and Steve Ortega, respectively.

As of Thursday, 12 people had filed for office for the city representative seats, and Ortega is running for mayor to replace John Cook.

One other candidate, Robert D. Cormell, has also filed to compete for the mayoral seat.

The filing deadline for the May election is March 1.

Ortega said that since 2005, the city leadership has had a "philosophical shift" about how city government should be run and on what priorities it should focus.

He lists transportation, parks space and Downtown development among the priorities.

The ballpark and bond projects, he said, fall into those priorities.

"Superficially, when some people see the ballpark, parks and trolley projects, they see them as extras," Ortega said. "People who understand economic development view those projects as amenities that make our community more livable. They help make El Paso a more attractive community not only to live in, but also for investment and job creation."

Most immediately, the city will continue the ballpark construction and relocation of city operations, Wilson said.

At the same time, the city is establishing a Bond Oversight Committee to oversee the $473 million quality-of-life bond approved by voters in November and will adopt and begin to implement a three-year bond project plan.

The city will also establish a Charter Review Committee to make recommendations for any changes to the charter that might be included in the May election and prepare for the transition for the new council.

Wilson said the city's policy goals and priorities are reviewed and established every two years.

Cindy Ramirez may be reached at cramirez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6151.

Make plansBelow are a few highlights from the eight-year progress report being presented to the El Paso City Council by City Manager Joyce Wilson Thursday:

Transportation: Created Regional Mobility Authority; invested $440 million in streets (including $218 million for 2013-20); invested $13 million in pedestrian sidewalks; planned or invested $295 million in transit service.